Following 233 starts, Jason Kokrak is finally a PGA Tour winner after claiming the CJ Cup by two shots at Shadow Creek Golf Course on Sunday.
A magnificent final-round 64 had the American surging up the leaderboard during the deciding day in Las Vegas as he managed to edge his way in front of the competing field.
The 35-year-old Kokrak converted a total of eight birdies, without dropping a single shot to secure an impressive victory on 20 under par with Xander Schauffele settling in second spot.
The winning putt. ?
For the first time, @JayKokrakis a PGA TOUR champion.
He’s won the CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK.#QuickHitspic.twitter.com/iFoAOal8ij
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 18, 2020
‘I have played quite a few rounds here at Shadow Creek so I know the greens pretty well, I know the little intricacies of this place. Not like some of the local caddies, but it is definitely a place that I feel comfortable at,’ Kokrak said after finally getting his name on the winners list.
‘Being 10 years, I definitely had some scar tissue … if you’re not nervous, you’re not alive … I definitely had some nerves going but I think I knew in my own mind that I was going to get it done, it was just a matter of time of me getting out of my own way and letting it happen.
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‘Because my game is right there with the best players in the world and I just need to continue to believe so and if the putting’s there for me, we’re going to be right there in contention.’
Last week’s winner at the BMW PGA Championship, Tyrrell Hatton, and overnight leader at the CJ Cup, Russell Henley, secured a share of third spot at the event with final scores of 17 under par for the week.
South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen signed off with a two-under-par 70 on Sunday to end the week on one under, while Dylan Frittelli went three over for his final round to conclude on seven over par.
